Beet-topping device.



0. P. HUISH.

BEET TOPPING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED FEB-l4. 1914 1, 1 21,839.Patented Dec. 22, 1914.

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-0. P; HUISH. BEET TOPPING ,-DBVIOE. APPLICATION 211.1115 H1344, 1914. 1121,839, Patented Dec. 22, 1914.

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ORSON 1?. HUISH, OF PAYSON, UTAH.

BEET-TOPPII\TG DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 22, 1914:.

Application filed. February 14, 1914. Serial No. 818,704.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Orson P. Home, a citizenof the United States, residing at Payson, in the county of Utah andState of Utah, have invented new and useful improvements in Beet-ToppingDevices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to beet topping devices, and it has for itsobject to produce a simple and ef'ieient topping device which may beused in connection with beet pulling or lifting devices of various typesor separately in connection with a sled, cart, or other draft implement,as may be preferred.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and efficientbeet topper having a gage board and a cutter which is supportedadjustably with respect to said gage board.

if still further object of the invention is to produce a simple andefficient beet topping device having a gage board and cutting knife,which in its operation is raised and lowered by the unevenness of thebeets over which the device is drawn and by its own weight adaptingitself automatically to the various heig. ts and conditions of the beetsbeing operated upon.

A s ill further object of the invention is to procuce a simple andeiiicient topping device including a gage board, an adjustable toppingknife and a revolving cutter for cutting overhanging beet tops whichwould otherwise interfere with the progress of the machine.

With these and other ends in view which will readily appear as thenature of the in vention is better understood, the same con sists in theimproved construction and novel arrangement and combination of partswhich will be hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed outin the claims.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferredform of the invention, it being, however, understood that no limitationis necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited,but that changes, alterations and modifications within the scope of theclaims may be resorted to when desired.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved toppingdevice, showing also a portion of the frame of a beet puller with whichit is connected for operation. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device.Fig. 3 is a side view taken from the opposite side to that seen in Fig.1, and showing a different adjustment of the topping knife. Fig. at is aplan view of the turning board and the topping knife detached andseparated from each other. Fig. 5 is a rear elevation. Fig. 6 is a sideview, showing the device operatively connected with a truck or cart.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are denoted by likecharacters of reference.

The gage plate 15 which preferably consists of a plate of sheet metalcut off obliquely at its rear end, is provided with forwardly extendingarms 16 adapted to be connected by means of a rod 17 with lugs 18depending from the frame structure of a beet pulling or harvestingmachine, a portion of which appears at 19; or said arms may beoperatively connected with the frame structure of a truck or cart, asseen at 20, in Fig. 6. The front and rear ends of the gage plate areupturned, as seen, respectively, at 21 and 22.

Bolted or otherwise secured on the gage plate 15 are standards J5 whichextend upwardlv and rearwardly and which merge into the beam 24L. Thelatter is provided with a keeper 25 wherein is guided a verticallymovable shank or stem 26 carrying a turning board 27, which in shaperesembles the mold board of a plow and along the lower edge of which isdetachably secured a blade 28 which constitutes the topping knife. Saidtopping knife extends beneath the upturned diagonal or oblique rear endportion of the gage plate, and it may be spaced variously therefrom byadjustment of the shank 26 vertically in the keeper 25. For the pur poseof effecting such adjustment, a lever 29 is provided, said lever beingfulcrumed adj acent to the front end of the beam 24 from which itextends upwardly and rearwardly, being provided with a slot 30 engagedby apin 31 that extends transversely through the stem or shan the latterbeing provided with several perforations 32 for the reception of saidpin at various adjustments. For the purpose of maintaining the lever andrelated parts at various adjustments, a segment rack 33 is provided,said rack being mounted at the rear end of the beam 24 and engaged by astop member 3d of conventional construction which is associated with theadjusting lever 29. The gage plate 15 is provided with a laterallyextending spindle 35 on which a revolving cutter 36 is supported forrotation, said cutter consisting of a flat steel disk which approachesclosely contiguous to the edge of the gage plate.

In the operation of this invention the device is dragged with a slidingmotionover the beet rows with the front end of the gage plate higherthan the rear end and thus gradually pressing down the beet tops by theweight of the device until the rear end of the gage plate rides firmlyupon the flattened tops and crowns of the beets, and bein raised andlowered by their unevenness, it readily adapts itself to their variousheights and conditions as it slides over them.

The turning board carrying the topping knife is properly adjusted withrespect to the rear end of the gage plate and moves in harmony with itand is regulated by means of the lever to any depth of out desired tosuit the nature of the beets being operated upon. The tops severed bythe cutting knife will pass rearwardly and upwardly between the latterand the upturned edge of the gage plate; being disposed laterally orthrown to one side by the action of the turning board, overhanging beettops that extend outwardly beyond the edge of the gage plate beingsevered by the rotary cutter.

This improved topping device, as Will be seen from the foregoingdescription, is extremely simple in construction and capable of beingused in connection with an ordinary cart, sled or other draft implement,as well as in connection with beet pulling or lifting machines ofvarious types. Adjust ment may be readily made to enable the device tooperate efficiently upon the tops of beets in various conditions and ofvarious sizes. The topping blade may be readily detached from theturning board for sharpening or for other purposes.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, is

1. In a beet topping device, a gage plate having upturned front and rearends, the rear end being obliquely disposed, draft means connected withthe front end of the plate, a turning board supported for verticaladjustment with respect to the rear end of the plate, and a cuttingblade connected with the turning board and extending beneath the obliqueupturned rear end of said gage plate.

2. In a beet topping device, a gage plate having upturned front and rearends, standards rising from the plate and merging in a rearwardlyextending beam, a shank guided for vertical movement with respect tosaid beam, a turning board carried by the shank and having a cuttingmember which extends beneath the rear end of the gage plate, and meansfor effecting vertical adjustment of the shank and for securing it atvarious adjustments.

In a beet topping device, a gage plate having upturned front and rearends, standards rising from the plate and merging in a rearwardlyextending beam having a segment rack at its rear end, a shank guided forvertical movement with respect to the beam and carrying a turning boardhaving a cutting member which extends beneath the upturned rear end ofthe gage plate, a lever fulcrumed on the beam and having a slot, a pinconnected with the shank and engaging the slot, and a stop memberassociated with the lever to engage the arcuate rack.

ft- In a beet topping device, a gage plate having upturned front andrear ends and forwardly extending draft members, a rotary cuttersupported adjacent to one side edge of the plate, standards rising fromthe plate and merging in a rearwardly extending beam, a keeper on saidbeam, a shank guided in the keeper for vertical movement, a turningboard carried by the shank and having a cutting member that extendsbeneath the upturned rear end of the gage plate, and a lever fulcruniedon the beam and connected with the shank to effect vertical adjustmentthereof.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ORSON P. l-lUllSl-l.

Witnesses Jnssn H. ELLsWon'rH, JosEPH WV. RIVERS.

fiopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

